Linyala was informed by Biscuit that Scoutmaster Emmett wanted to see her, so the young Akwavi made her way to the Scouts Headquarters (although some of the others referred to it as the 'Hindquarters') to meet him. And sure enough, Emmett was waiting for her, wearing the Headmaster Robes (which were too long and flopped off the ends of the otter's arms) and standing under one of the light beams. "Ah, Lin! You're my best sneaker, so I have a special task for you!" Emmett claims.
The young otter grins from ear to ear and attempts a somewhat haphazard salute. "Ready and waiting Emm-er Sir!" Lin exclaims, alreay reviewing a list of potential targets.
"Good to hear!" Emmett says, puffing up a bit. "Your targets are Trilup Oggton, and a Chalk boy she's conspirin' with: Avery I think. Brown, basic bunny. Sorta twitchy. They're up to something with that scoundrel Sylvania Jack, and the Chalk boy was seen with Fimble the other night and was carryin' one of the old map cases to boot. I want to know what they're up to."
Linyala's whiskers twitch as she quickly considers the mission, "Does'is mean we have a way to get into the Chalk warren now? I could search this Avery's room for anything 'spicious. How many points is this worth?" She adjusts her knife and checks the strap is secure around her arm. "I'll do it!"
"Whoa.. ah, heh, no going into the warren," Emmett says, making hold-on motions with his hands, which just cause the too-long sleeves to flop around a bit. "Jus' figger out what they're up ta. I know Avery already brought back the map - but not which map it was. Fimble might spill, if she's 'ad a few drinks."
Lin nods solemny but can't help a giggle at the odd flopping of the oversized garment. "I'll be sure to put the drinks on your tab!" She chirps and turns to run out of the cave.
"Not too many o' them!" Emmett calls. "You know 'ow Fimble is!"
It's still early evening, but a few early-supper types are already showing up. The 'drummer' for the Oggtones, Mudwin, is setting up his tuned barrels on the stage. He's always the first to show up, since his equipment is bulky and he has to wash out whatever they're filled with during the day. Off in her corner, Fimble sits and watches, likely weaving some strange fantasy about her and Mudwin. She does comb out her pink mohawk a bit, after all.
A splash and spray of water heralds Linalya's arival as she shoots out of one of the holes in the floor and shakes her fur dry. She ambles over to the bar and examines the menu for something with a good deal of kick, something that won't burn holes in her mouth and a large bowl of something snackey. It's not every day you get to use someone else's tab.
Today there are pretzels. Or rather, tangles of fried dough. And of course to drink there is.. scumble! But if one knows how, you can order a 'bumble' which is scumble watered down with fish oil. Someone has also brought in some colorful looking.. well, they might be peppers.
Lin decides on a basket of pretzels, two mugs of scumble and one of bumble. She says as much to the barkeep and asks to have it put on Emmett's tab for 'Scout purposes'.
The bartender for the night gives Lin an uncertain look, but then shrugs and gets the drinks. "Don't dip the pretzels," the woman advises. "They ain't that crisp."
"Thankew!" Lin chirps, enjoying this newfound freedom to order things under Emmett's name. She scoops up the bowl in one arm and balances the cups with great care in her hands and heads over to Fimble's table. "Hi Fim! Expecting anyone? She asks and slides the pretzels onto the table.
The pudgy otter girl blinks at Linyala, and says, "Who, me? Why would I be expecting anyone?" She looks a bit guilty when saying it though. Fimble was never good at fibbing.
"Just looks like you're waiting for some'un." Lin observs, waving an arm around to indicate the lack of population. Her wave is punctuated by a rather loud PANK! from the barels up on stage. She puts the other mugs down and grabs a seat. "Look like you could use some company, sitting here all mellon-colly like."
"Don't tell me you want a map too?" Fimble asks. "I never get this much attention otherwise. But.. uh.. any of those for me?" she asks, pointing the drinks and smiling.
Jasper says, "Well I'd like to know about a map if'n you don't mind." Lin explains and slides a mug of scumble towards Fimble, being very careful not to spill it. "Have a pretzel, but don't dip them." She passes on the barkeep's warning and grabs one herself."
"Well I'd like to know about a map if'n you don't mind." Lin explains and slides a mug of scumble towards Fimble, being very careful not to spill it. "Have a pretzel, but don't dip them." She passes on the barkeep's warning and grabs one herself.
"I avoid fried stuff, bad fer the figure!" Fimble claims, and takes a swig of scumble. "Hooooooo.." she wheezes afterwards. "Maps is like drawings of places, but with directions and stuff and they don't look like what you actualry see.."
"So to show you where treasures and stuff are?" Linyala asks, excited. "With battles and pirates and castles and monsters on them?"
"Well.. nothing good like that," Fimble says, and has another drink. "Unless you mean Emmett's Secret Map of peeping perches. Nah, most o' 'em is just, like.. squiggly bits and numbers and stuff.." Her webbed fingers weave through the air, to help illustrate 'squiggly'.
"They why'd anyone ever want them if all they have going for them is squiggles? No pirates or treasure." Linyala makes a note of this secret mp of Emmett's as possible blackmail material. "Sounds like dusty old things that arche- arkio- archolo- People who stare at old broken things would look at."
"Yeah, like the map Aviri wanted," Fimble says. "Old thing, like.. my great-great-grandpa or somethin' made it. Map of the underwater terror.. terrainer.. of the swamp."
"How do you even make a map of the swamp? It's all silty and murky down there. Why would anyone want a map of silt?" Lin moves the other glass of scumble towards Fimble and takes a gulp of her bumble.
Fimble now has a cup in each hand, and seems unsure which to drink from. "Oh, well.. it's a map of like.. depth of the silt and murkiness and currents and the landscape.. cuz' it wasn't always underwater, so could be hazards to the boats. I dunno what Aviri wanted it for, but he looked at my singing rocks and stuff and gave me a kiss."
"Aww. He sounds nice fer one of those old things people." Lin coos, "You seem like a perfect couple. You have maps, he likes maps." Another pretzel vanishes with a soggy crunch.
"I 'unno if he likes maps," Fimble notes. "He brought it back next day. Just had to make a copy or sumthin. For 'research' he said."
"Ah, research." Lin nods sagely, "Makes you wonder what's so interesting own there. An old sunken ship maybe? Must be something cool."
Fimble shrugs. "It's a really old map. I dunno what he was looking for though, he didn't say," she says, and finishes off one drink.
Linyala nods and takes another drink from the mug of bumble, marveling at the other otter's ability to consume scumble so quickly. "Are the maps made waterproof then? Regular paper goes all mooshey when it gets wet." She inquires.
The crowd is starting to grow now. The rest of the jug band has arrived, including Emmett, and a few people are dancing. Leaning near the door is a young Akwavi with a bag full of slams (a sort of soft-shelled clam creature) that she dips into every so often. It's Trilup!
"Oh yeah, they're on some sorta hide like stuff," Fimble notes. "An' big. Like, bigger'n a bed! Boat sized."
Lin looks around every so often and catches sight of Trillup while reaching for another pretzel. "What kind of animal comes that big? You're not making maps out of Old Swampy are you?" She grins and adjusts her chair to rest her arms better on the table, doing so also puts Trilup cleanly in her field of view.
"Nah, I think it's just really stretched.." Fimble claims. "We don't make it anymore.. might have been from The Old Country." Because she has snacks, Trilup is getting attention, but also knows to keep a firm grip on her sack.
Linyala pulls at the fur on her upper arm, stretching he skin underneath a bit. "Must be bigger than me." She reckons, "I wouldn't cover a boat." She starts breaking a pretzel into pieces and aranging them to look like a fish.
Across the room, Trilup finishes eating and.. looks right at Lin, since she's sitting with Fimble... and nobody ever sits with Fimble under normal circumstances.
Lin nearly meets Trilup's gaze but manages to look back towards Fimble in time. "Looks like I've been spotted." She grins at Fimble amd nods her head towards Trilup. "I'd better vanish before I blow my cover. Why don't you get y'self another drink on Emmett's tab?"
"Emmett's payin?" Fimble asks, looking surprised. Then she gets a slow, wide grin. "Sure.. I just need to find a jug.."
Linyala gets an oops expression and decides the time to vanish is now. "Well, have a good rest of the nigh!" She chirps and dives through a hole in the floor the next time someone passes between their table and Trilup.
Once in the water, it's just a matter of finding a shadowed spot behind one of the pilings and waiting. Sure enough, a few minutes later Trilup appears on the dock, looks around, and bounds on all fours towards the shore.
Linyala waits a moment then follows Trilup under the water as far as she can, intending to follow her scent and trail once she's out of sight.
Trilup seems to run back and forth a lot, as if unsure which way to go.. until she spots Parsley, basket in the crook of one arm, leaving the Frog and Peach tavern. She bounds up to the Lapi, and asks, "Parsley! Have you seen Aviri?"
The milkmaid pauses and gives the otter an odd look, then says, "Just a little while ago, when he was checking in with me. I didn't have any jobs for him so he's probably headed out to the forest. I think he likes the area up by the northern end of the pasture, but probably hasn't made it there yet if you want to catch him.."
"So.. uh.. across from the castle?" Trilup asks, just to be sure. Parsley nods to her and smiles. "Just follow the Milk Run Road.. or the river. You'd get all white if you swam in it though.."
"ThanksParsley,you'rethebest!" Trilup blurts and makes for the road.
Linyala sniffs around, staying withing earshot while determining the wind direction so she can stay downwind of Trilup. She runs on all fours to stay the right distance from her quary.
Trilup isn't even checking if she's being followed, but with the light dimming (it's hard to say there's a sunset in Sylvania, with the constant overcast) she's trying to make up distance. When she finally sees someone on the road ahead, she barks for attention!
Aviri turns from his seemingly-unenergetic plod at the sound of the shout. Although he tries to hide it, his features collapse slightly at the sight of the otter. Even so he raises an arm in greeting. "Trillup, it seems like we saw each-other just yesterday," he calls to her.
"It wasn't that long ago!" Trilup claims as she catches up and pants for a bit. "I saw someone talking to Fimble! Pretty sure it was Linyala, Emmett's favorite sneaker!"
The Lapi tilts his head at Trilup. "It's not normal to talk to Fimble?" He pauses then adds, "Oh, right, she's crazy. What'm I s'posed to do? Need a specific plant that'll ward the people-who-talk-to-crazy-people away from crazy people?"
"If there was such a plant, you'd be wearing it instead of clothes," Trilup points out. "It means Emmett is on to us! Did he see you earlier when you went to return the map?"
"True," Aviri says in relation to the plant comment. "And yes, Emmett was under the table of Fimble's mother's boat-rental place. He took over when we went to the barge, and was fighting with Jack when we got back."
The otter in the bushes is starting to panic. She's been on the job for a few hours and they were already on to her. She should have made her excuses and left as soon as she saw Trilup.
"Wait.. are you saying I'm crazy?" Trilup asks, suddenly suspicious. She crosses her arms and pouts. "We don't want Emmett to get the treasure, he'll be just as insufferable as Jack then. I mean, more than he is now."
Aviri's ear twitches slightly as he tilts his head. "Not calling you crazy." His mouth works up and down a few moments. "You really don't want Jack to find that cup, do you?" he asks.
"It'd be more fun if we found it," Trilup claims. "And.. well, it's ours. The Oggtons, I mean. It came with us.. part of the way.. So.. we have first dibs, right? That's only fair! And we're the ones that found Swampy!"
"Were you looking for Sw--" Aviri says, but stops himself short before muttering quickly, "Can find things without looking for them. Found parsley herb where not expected: rocky area, partial shade. Odd. Noted in ..." he stops himself slowly, realizing he was mumbling. He clears his throat. "Will need to read into history of cup," he says.
"I bet Jack has a book about it," Trilup says. "I mean, how could he have known about it then? And.. uh.. what're you doing way out here anyway?"
It takes a few seconds to sink in for Linyala. They actualy found swampy. Ancient maps and forbiden cutlery are one thing but they found swampy! It seems that Fimble was wrong, maps do lead to treasures. She settles down in the shadows behind the scrub that topd the riverbank to hear them better.
"Jack has books," Aviri agrees. "Jack also has Jack. Out here doesn't have Jack. Or Parsley. or Gypsies, or ghosts or swamp-monsters or Gunther." He looks beyond Trilup toward the city, then back around to the wilderness. "Came to clear head. Relax. Maybe follow up on notes past taken."
"But.. the woods have monsters and ghosts and stuff," Trilup claims. "And.. Kevin.. Or do you still have that magic charm thing?"
"Left it at home," Aviri says, "when getting my books. Woods don't scare me, anyway." He looks around again. "But if you're here I guess my vacation's over?"
"I just wanted to warn you," Trilup says. "You might be followed! I mean, not by me, but.. you know.."
Aviri looks at her like she really is crazy. "Who would follow me?"
"I just told you, it could be Lin," Trilup says. "Good thing she doesn't know where you are though! I had to ask Parsley. You should be glad to have a friend like me watching yer back."
"You said this 'Lin' was a 'sneaker'? As in ... she sneaks?" Aviri asks.
"Well.. yes.." Trilup says, waving her arms in the air. "You know.. like Gunther! But she doesn't jump out at you. Usually. She might wear a disguise though.."
"Gunther. Found me as a bush," says the Lapi in memory, eyes flickering about him. "So, Jack didn't send you to come get me?"
"No, I just.. saw her talking to Fimble.." Trilup says, deflating a bit. "I'm not paranoid!" she claims.
Aviri is silent a bit before seeminly remember that Trilup is there. "Paranoid? That's good. Make it easier for them to get you." He grins at her/
The otter squeaks at that. "Well.. I let you know so.. uh.. I'm heading back now," she says. "It's creepy out here."
Lin snickers quietly and sizes up a small stone to throw to the otherside of the road just to see how jumpy they are. She finds an adequately round one and, after checking that they're both faced away from her, lets it fly then lays flat and as quiet as possible.
Aviri says, "Okay. See you in two hours!"
The Lapi doesn't seem to hear the rock.
"It'll be dark then!" Trilup notes, and jumps a little at the sound of the rock. "I'll look for you tomorrow, when it's light out, okay?"
Aviri tilts his head. "I though Jack wanted to meet us in two hours. At docks. Where we left to go to the tree? You know?"
"At night? No, I'm sure he said two days.." Trilup claims. "We can't go out at night! That's crazy."
"I have the talisman," Aviri reminds her. "Didn't you say it'd be more fun to find it ourselves?"
"But he's the one that can read the map," Trilup says. "We just need him to tell us where to look. I didn't agree to go out at night - and I don't have a monster-go-away charm."
"Then I'll do all the monster-go-awaying," Aviri says.
"You scare me sometimes, you know?" Trilup says. "I'm going back to the Boathouse. If you need me tonight, I'll be there for awhile." Then she turns and scampers back down the road towards the swamp.
The Lapi nods and says, "Okay, meet you there tonight." He, too, turns and continues his journey farther away from the town.
Lin nods to herself and slips unseen into the milky white river, swiming with the current back towards the swamp to make her repport to Emmett.